Fltte-e xftngusshjng compound



.ing an opening at one end filled with an an substantially such as isdescribed and claimed fiame on breaking the containing-vessel.

. iltirrnn drains,

Pn'rnnrr tries.-

Jenn M. crown, or sunscreen, Wisconsin;

Fi'RE EXHNGUlSHENG oolunounn.

' sPnerr-ucn'rron forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,889, datedJanuary 20,1885.

Application filed August 4, 1884. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1;, JOHN M. GIBLIN, 0 Sheboygan, inthe county ofSheboygau, and in the State of Nisoonsin, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Fire-Extinguishing Compounds, &c. and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof.

My invention relates to compounds for extinguishing fires, and will bemore fully described hereinafter.

My present-invention is designed'for use in connection with a vessel offrangible material,

in my application for a patent for fireextim guishers filed May 12,1884, SerialNo. 131,197,

vessel, of glass or other frangible material, havertured cork,containing in turn the neck orv stern of another vessel extending withinthe outer vessel, and adapted to contain an explosive agent and a fuse,whereby when the same is exploded it will break both vessels and scatterthe chemical contents of the outer vessel. upon the fire.

The nature of my present invention consists in making a hand'grenadefire-extinguisher containing sulphurous oxide (commonly known assulphurous acid dissolved in an alkaline solution, and adapted toextinguish Heretofore in that class of fire-extinguishers generallyknown as ".hand-grenades the usual effect of scattejiing the chemicalsupon the flames has been 0 smother the fire, as ordinarily carbonic-acidgas isset free by the breaking" of the grenade; but in the case of mypresent invention my chemicals are of such a nature that they operate insuch manner as totake up the oxygen of the air surrounding the fire,which is thus instantly extinguished for want of oxygen tosupport it.

In carrying my invention into effect I take oxide.

one of the described vessels and partially fill it with aquanmnionia orother liquid alkali. I next generate sulphurous oxide by burningstick-sulphur or flowers of sulphur in a suitable furnace, and force theresulting gas through a coil of lead pipe surrounded ,by ice, to reduce,the temperature of the gas. I then conduct the cooled gas by anysuitable means into the. vessel previously partly filled with the liquidalkali until thelatter is thoroughly saturated with the sulphurousoxide. The aquatannnonia, when the temperature of the sulphurous oxideis properly reduced, is-capablc of taking from one thousand to fifteenhundred times its own volume of snlphurous The sulphnrous exidc and theansnno nium hydrate havesuc-h afeebleaffinity for each other that whenthrown upon a fire or subjected to its heat (the inclosing-vessel beingfirst broken, as described) the sulphurous oxide is liberated andrapidly unites with the oxygen of the air. The oxygen of the air beingthus taken up by the sulphurous oxide, the fire is at once extinguished,as stated, for lack of oxygen. Furthermore, I do not confine myself toliquid alkalies alone, but may use any liquid capable of taking upsulphurous oxide.

Having th us described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A fire-extinguishing compound consisting of sulphurous oxidedissolved in an 3111' moni'acal liquid in a closed vessel, substantiallyas set forth.

2. A fire-extinguisher consisting of a tight ly-closed vessel offrangible material containing sulphurous oxide dissolved in an alkalineliquid, substantially as set forth.

in testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, atSheboygan, in

the State of 'Wisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. GIBLIN. Witnesses:

A. 4;. Pnnscorr, En. F. ZrNNs.

